Six steps to a safe Christmas

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services encourages to put safety first this Christmas.

From 1 December, Queenslanders will start decorating their homes for the festive season.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) Executive Director of Emergency Management and Community Capability John Rolfe is urging everyone to put safety first this Christmas.

“We want everyone to remember Christmas for the right reasons and seeing someone’s Christmas go up in flames is tragic,” Mr Rolfe said.

“Even one small fire is one too many this festive season.”

As a friendly reminder to Queenslanders, Mr Rolfe has shared six tips to keep your loved ones safe.

Check your lights

Before using last year’s Christmas lights, check over the condition of the decorations. Look out for warn plugs and frayed cords.

Never overload power boards

Once you have checked your decorations, it’s important not to overload power boards. Plugging in too many cords can start a fire.

Remember to turn your lights off

If you’re going away on holidays, out for the day, or heading to bed for the night switch off your Christmas lights.

Outdoor vs indoor

If you are decorating the outside of your house or backyard, ensure that all equipment is rated for outdoor use and ideally not near sources of fuel, for example where leaves might accumulate.

Supervise kids

We know it’s fun to get the whole family involved when putting up decorations, but supervision is essential with young children. Encouraging children to learn about fire safety can make a huge difference. For example, talk to them about why lighters, matches and candles aren’t toys and should be kept out of reach.

Ladder safety

If you are decorating at any height, please ensure you do so with the appropriate safety considerations, regardless of whether you are working inside or outside.